Information-processing apparatus, method for processing information, information-processing system, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Abstract

An information-processing apparatus captures either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are imaged by an imaging device, obtains operation information about manipulation of the imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation regarding either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image, obtains time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured, and outputs, to an external device, the operation information, the time information, and either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image that are associated with each other.

1 . An information-processing apparatus comprising:
 an image-capturing unit that captures either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are imaged by an imaging device;   an information-obtaining unit that obtains operation information about manipulation of the imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation regarding either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image and that obtains time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured; and   an output unit that outputs, to an external device, the operation information, the time information, and either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image that are associated with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation information includes information about start of the imaging method and information about end of the imaging method. 
     
     
         3 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation information includes information about automatic operation based on the manipulation of a user and time of the automatic operation. 
     
     
         4 . The information-processing apparatus according to according to  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs, to the external device, supplementary information that is perceivably associated with an order of time at which either or both the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image are captured and the time of the manipulation. 
     
     
         5 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: an image-capturing unit that captures the photoacoustic image on the basis of a photoacoustic signal and captures the ultrasonic image on the basis of an ultrasonic signal. 
     
     
         6 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information-obtaining unit also obtains timing information about timing with which an ultrasonic signal and a photoacoustic signal are obtained, and
 wherein the output unit outputs, to the external device, association information about a relationship between the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image, the association information being obtained on the basis of the timing information and further associated.   
     
     
         7 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaging method is related to either or both of imaging of the ultrasonic image or the photoacoustic image that is included in a video and imaging of the ultrasonic image or the photoacoustic image that is included in a still image. 
     
     
         8 . An information-processing apparatus comprising:
 an obtaining unit that obtains supplementary information that includes operation information about manipulation of an imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation and an object that includes image data of either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are associated with the operation information; and   a display-controlling unit that reads the operation information and that causes a display unit to display the image data that is obtained by the manipulation.   
     
     
         9 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the display-controlling unit causes the display unit to display information about the operation information,
 wherein the information-processing apparatus further includes a reception unit that receives a manipulation input of a user in response to the displayed information about the operation information, and   wherein the display-controlling unit causes the display unit to display the image data that is obtained by the manipulation that corresponds to the information about the operation information and that is received.   
     
     
         10 . An information-processing system comprising:
 an image-capturing unit that captures either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are imaged by an imaging device;   an information-obtaining unit that obtains operation information about manipulation of the imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation regarding either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image and that obtains time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured; and   an output unit that outputs, to an external device, the operation information, the time information, and either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image that are associated with each other.   
     
     
         11 . An information-processing system comprising:
 an obtaining unit that obtains supplementary information that includes operation information about manipulation of an imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation and an object that includes image data of either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are associated with the operation information; and   a display-controlling unit that reads the operation information and that causes a display unit to display the image data that is obtained by the manipulation.   
     
     
         12 . A method for processing information, the method comprising:
 an image-capturing step of capturing either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image that are imaged by an imaging device;   an information-obtaining step of obtaining operation information about manipulation of the imaging device for instructing an imaging method and time of the manipulation regarding either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image and obtaining time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured; and   an output step of outputting, to an external device, the operation information, the time information, and either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image that are associated with each other.   
     
     
         13 . A method for processing information, the method comprising:
 a first step of obtaining operation information about manipulation for imaging either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image by an imaging device and time of the manipulation;   a second step of obtaining time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured;   a third step of obtaining supplementary information on the basis of the operation information and the time information; and   a fourth step of causing a display unit to perceivably display a relationship between the manipulation and either or both of the captured ultrasonic image and photoacoustic image on the basis of the supplementary information.   
     
     
         14 . A method for processing information, the method comprising:
 a first step of obtaining operation information about manipulation for imaging either or both of an ultrasonic image and a photoacoustic image by an imaging device and time of the manipulation;   a second step of obtaining time information about either or both of time at which the ultrasonic image is captured and time at which the photoacoustic image is captured;   a third step of causing a display unit to display the information about the manipulation;   a fourth step of receiving a specification of a user in response to the information about the manipulation; and   a fifth step of causing the display unit to display either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image on the basis of time of the manipulation of the specification and the time information.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to  12  for processing information. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to  13  for processing information. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to  14  for processing information. 
     
     
         18 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the output unit outputs, to the external device, a DICOM object that includes the operation information, the time information, and either or both of the ultrasonic image and the photoacoustic image. 
     
     
         19 . The information-processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the display-controlling unit causes the display unit to display the operation information, time that is related to the operation information, and the image data that are arranged.